Archers thread #164: AmbridgEnders! An Everyday Story of Soapy Folk. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to have your fortune told by Bartleby, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thread thrown together in great haste in advance of tonight's episode. Who's in the Am? Is it George's fault? Is this the end for Alice? Over to you!

He mentioned a 'house party' on Sunday when he was having dinner at Grey Gables with his parents on Friday, but he didn't say where it was or whose party it was. Then he bought cider to take with him at the shop on Sunday afternoon, just before Alice went in to get the fateful vodka. On the way home before he encountered Alice's car he called somebody whose name I didn't pick up. I think he left the voice note for Will while he was getting Alice to move over to the passenger seat. It was certainly around then. In both cases he said the party was crap, or similar, but didn't explain why.

Have I missed something - Alice isn't really a human being is she? All these years I have thought she and the others were artificial constructs with 'characters' driven by plot needs.🙂

😱

I think you should be on the spoilers thread

Weren't they both having affairs? Jennifer with her ex-husband, Debbie's father. Roger Travers-Macy, and Brian with Mandy Beesbrough, a silent character who ran the Pony Club. Brian had not long before had a short affair with Caroline Bone, later Pemberton, later Sterling. He'd also chased Betty Tucker round the swimming pool in the hope that she would also succumb to his charms. They really, really piled it on once they decided that this previously blameless husband, father and farmer would become the Lothario of Borsetshire!

My bad

@Godesstobe , what do you mean Have I missed something - Alice isn't really a human being is she? All these years I have thought she and the others were artificial constructs with 'characters' driven by plot needs.?
Are you on glue?

I can't apologise enough. I don't know what I was thinking. It must be the effects of last night's excitement after weeks (months) of ennui.

Where's that overinfested emoticon when you need it? I've rarely needed it more than this week! Possibly when Debbie recognised Brian's hankie when Siobhan used it to wipe Ruairi's mouth and the whole house of cards of their long-running affair started tumbling down.

Those of you who see George as ‘having potential’ - what is it? Everything I’ve heard of him has been irredeemably awful. He’s a nasty misogynist who was utterly vile to his parents, evil to Hannah and a bully to Brad & his drippy gf whose name escapes me.

He seems like a horrible grifter who puts people down to try and raise himself up - especially women.

Alice seems so much nicer, despite her addiction.

Genuinely interested in what people see in George.

I think he’s a good character - wouldn’t want him to go out with my daughter!!

he does have good sides to him but the Grundy genes are strong. He seems a much more nuanced character than Brad and Mia for example

Can’t say I’ve noticed any redeeming George qualities.

Since it became obvious that Alice was an alcoholic, it's been clear that Alice goes through life putting on a front of niceness. In the shop the other day when she was asking to buy vodka, Joy attempted to distract her by suggesting Alice come with her to the gig, to use the spare ticket, and Alice said, in a voice dripping with disdain and scarely disguised contempt, something on the lines of 'I don't think we would have the same taste in music'. I've come to think that no matter how much she apologises when she's sober, what she says when she's drunk is what she really feels. In vino veritas. Probably applies just as much to vodka.

#Team George here.
I think George is a realistic character typical of many working class young men. He has big aspirations but struggles to live the life he wants because he under- achieved at school. He has had poor male role models (apart from Neil) and has referred in the past to being teased because of his unconventional parentage.
He has a massive chip on his shoulder because, for all his shallow bravado, he is frightened that he is trapped for life in rubbish low paying jobs.
He resents people like Brad and Mia (who he can see have a potential route out of poverty which he lacks) and Hannah (because he has conventional views on masculinity - which he can't live up to - and found it emasculating to have a female boss).
Lots of teenagers are vile to their parents. I often was at times - sorry Mum and Dad - and I didn't have the excuse of having dysfunctional parents like George.
He is only 18 and he has a LOT of growing up to do, but he isn't stupid or intrinsically bad, and, if he can find a good role model and get away from the influence of his grandfather, he could develop into a decent adult. I hope he gets the help he needs and isn't just written off by the SWs (as so many young men in RL are).
It's almost like I think he is a human being!

Rochelle! Hmmm fishy!

Rochelle!!

.....Oh no......

I suspect only Joy ‘saw’ Rochelle …

Yes they're signalling that more clearly now aren't they

Or that R may be imaginary

*ie that R

Hmmm. I don’t like it being Monday on Tuesday

Brian being overprotective but perhaps that’s the problem. Alice is unpleasant isn’t she - and self centred. Does she really think they want to see her? Kate is the most sensible one!! But she does remember George driving and as has been said - no one will believe her.

I'm annoyed with Fallon being pregnant - I’d rather she didn’t have to deal with that when she has always been so clear that she doesn’t want kids.

fractured collarbone - ouch. Surprised the Am is deep enough to fully submerge the car.

still no one has seen Rochelle…

Bingo! 🤦‍♀️

Am I right in thinking Alice has driven drunk in the past?
Also in RL alcoholics do drive drunk. It's unrealistic to think Alice would have behaved as badly as she did in the past but somehow drew the line at driving drunk.

Gah! Disappointed as I predicted Fallon, and disappointed women can't continue being happily child free, and disappointed no serious injuries! No Brian having a heart attack or Joy secondary drowning or anything except the confirmation of Rochelle's imaginary status!

Didn’t Alice simply mean she had more than once driven sober to a place where she could get drunk in privacy, sleep it off, and then go home? Not that she was driving around drunk.

Might be important to establish a pattern of behaviour if she argues strongly that she has never driven while drunk. (At least not recently.)

I think Fallon will insist on a termination and it will mark the beginning of the end of her marriage.